Library Alehouse

(310) 314-4855

2911 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405 33.9994 -118.4808

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Neighborhoods: Ocean Park, West LA

LIBRARYALEHOUSE.COM

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants, Brew Pubs, Neighborhood Bars, Bars & Clubs, Bars & Pubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Notable Beer List

Restaurant Special Features:

Happy Hour

Bar & Club Special Features:

Romantic Nightlife, After Work

What People Are Saying About Library Alehouse

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – A candlelit bar, high tables and sleek bar stools create a relaxing interior inside this warm, Craftsman hideaway, while blond-wood walls, glass windows and high ceilings provide an airy and open feel. Bottles of imported beer line the shelves, while televisions silently flash sports scores. An after-work spot for young professionals and an unintimidating bar scene, this is a refreshing alternative to the pickup palace of Circle Bar across the street. The canopied back garden patio is heated and sheltered by garden walls. – – The Draw – Boasting the best…

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Street parking is scarce, so head west of Main Street on Ashland, and turn into the spacious metered lot.
Save Money:
During the week from 4pm to 6pm, pints start $3.50, 32-ounce drafts are $5, assorted tacos cost $2, while papaya quesadillas and buffalo wings are $4 each.
When to Go:
On Tuesdays, pints are $5, including a free glass, which can be refilled any Tuesday for only $3 (excluding Belgian beers).
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. love the ambiance of the Alehouse - its appearance, its clientelle, its staff, and especially the patio.
  2. All in all, this place has a decent atmosphere, good beer selection for SoCal, and is worth the trip.
  3. We enjoy their amazing beer selection, tasty food, comfortable atmosphere and friendly service.
  4. and greatly enjoy the unassuming atmosphere.
  5. Also be aware that while the outdoor patio is VERY romantic with all the candlelight, my friend and I found it very hard to hard to read the menu once night fell.
  6. Warm ambiance, great beer!
  7. Nights when they show a Laker game can be way too crowded but overall my experiences have been fun, and my meals delicious.
  8. Lively, fun and good food.
  9. Great atmosphere and the selection of beer was killer.
  10. The Library Alehouse has a combination of a friendly, pub-esque bar indoors, and a glowing, comfortable patio area for dining in the back.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. Super selection of beers, including my favorite Belgian Leffe Blond on tap.
  2. We enjoy their amazing beer selection, tasty food, comfortable atmosphere and friendly service.
  3. Great beers and great food.
  4. The foods great and the beer is great.
  5. They have the best beer selection around and have reasonable prices, pretty faces and friendly people.
  6. The hostess let me in without hesitation, and the bartender seemed happy to sell me a beer.
  7. Great selection of beer on tap, good service and a pretty good happy hour.
  8. All in all, this place has a decent atmosphere, good beer selection for SoCal, and is worth the trip.
  9. Good beer and good food for good prices
  10. don't drink beer, but they also have really good rootbeer on tap.
  11. Fun times, good beer.
  12. Great beer
  13. Great beer - I almost always pick one of their seasonal brews.
  14. Warm ambiance, great beer!
  15. Outstanding selections of beers that rotate with the seasons.
  16. great crew to educate your pallete about which beer goes best with what -- from seared Ahi to Buffalo wings; and the only thing hotter than the wings are the babe-o-licious bartenders.
  17. Great atmosphere and the selection of beer was killer.
  18. IF you like boutique beers this is the place to go.
  19. The Library Alehouse has a combination of a friendly, pub-esque bar indoors, and a glowing, comfortable patio area for dining in the back.
  20. Great beer, friendly staff, awesome food
  21. The food is great, and the selection goes beyond your average "bar food" (my favorite is the papaya and goat cheese quesadilla).
  22. 2- you can order a sampler of beers even though it's not on the menu, and don't miss the apricot wheat
  23. In addition to the beers, they have a bunch of quite good food.
  24. recently visited the Library Ale House and was surprised at the excellent selection of beer at a reasonable price.
  25. If you like good beer, this place is for you.
  26. There is also a large beer selection, and the servers are pretty good at suggesting a beer if you tell them what you like.
  27. good selection, reasonable prices, awesome beer list.
food quality
90.31999588012695% positive
  1. Nights when they show a Laker game can be way too crowded but overall my experiences have been fun, and my meals delicious.
  2. Loved the food, but not the lack of patio lighting
  3. In addition to the beers, they have a bunch of quite good food.
  4. On Mondays they give a discount on burgers- two of which i recommend- the ahi burger which is well complimented with wasabi slaw.
  5. The food is great, and the selection goes beyond your average "bar food" (my favorite is the papaya and goat cheese quesadilla).
  6. Good food - nicer than your usual pub grub but just as comforting.
  7. really enjoy the crispy coconut shrimp with pineapple salsa I ordered, and my friend?
  8. Oh no a Sothwestern salad, that will make you full, or my favorite buffalo wings, with lots of bleu cheese dressing.
  9. Great beers and great food.
  10. We enjoy their amazing beer selection, tasty food, comfortable atmosphere and friendly service.
  11. Their food is great, and the portions are for the hungry.
  12. Must be plain and simple: Great food, good people and a wide selection of microbrews and ales on tap.
  13. Great beer, friendly staff, awesome food
  14. My boyfriend and I go every weekend and have yet to have bad service or bad food.
  15. Definitely not a destination restaurant in terms of food, the Library is great for a lazy Sunda.
  16. Killer burgers (bacon & bleu is the best), marvy meatloaf and the most jive jambalaya this side of the Big Easy.
  17. have thoroughly enjoyed every meal I've had: ribs, fish and chips, ahi sandwich, pasta.
  18. Lively, fun and good food.
  19. The food is ok, but the service is always awful.
  20. had a pretty good ahi tuna salad, but my boyfriend's steak was a bit overcooked, and not very tasty.
  21. This salad was amazingly good and healthy.
  22. Menu is fantastic, offering a range from healthy fare such as tuna sashimi salad and fresh fish tacos with mango salsa, to-get-your-grub-on jambalaya and hearty pasta.
  23. love this place, it's my favorite place to eat in Santa Monica, the salmon I love this place, it's my favorite place to eat in Santa Monica, the salmon enchiladas are amazing.
  24. Good beer and good food for good prices
  25. highly recommend the burgers, tri-tip sandwich and Caesar salad.
  26. The food is yummy and fresh (farmers market veggies) and everyone that work there is super friendly.
  27. love all of their food, the vegeterian dishes are awesome, just make sure what vegetables they are out of that day.
  28. The chips and salsa they serve are also great to snack on when waiting for food!
  29. great crew to educate your pallete about which beer goes best with what -- from seared Ahi to Buffalo wings; and the only thing hotter than the wings are the babe-o-licious bartenders.
  30. have been to a lot of places looking for the perfect turkey burger and I found it here at the Library Alehouse.
  31. had the Bison burger, omg it was the best burger I have ever had and I am a burger lover!
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. Must be plain and simple: Great food, good people and a wide selection of microbrews and ales on tap.
  2. 2- you can order a sampler of beers even though it's not on the menu, and don't miss the apricot wheat
  3. Great atmosphere and the selection of beer was killer.
  4. Outstanding selections of beers that rotate with the seasons.
  5. Order a taster selection of their best brews to get the most bang for your buck.
  6. Great selection of beer on tap, good service and a pretty good happy hour.
  7. Everything I've tried on the menu has been great.
  8. good selection, reasonable prices, awesome beer list.
  9. There is also a large beer selection, and the servers are pretty good at suggesting a beer if you tell them what you like.
  10. Also be aware that while the outdoor patio is VERY romantic with all the candlelight, my friend and I found it very hard to hard to read the menu once night fell.
  11. The food is great, and the selection goes beyond your average "bar food" (my favorite is the papaya and goat cheese quesadilla).
  12. They have the best beer selection around and have reasonable prices, pretty faces and friendly people.
  13. Nice crowd, pretty decent service and intresting menu.
  14. We enjoy their amazing beer selection, tasty food, comfortable atmosphere and friendly service.
  15. All in all, this place has a decent atmosphere, good beer selection for SoCal, and is worth the trip.
  16. Super selection of beers, including my favorite Belgian Leffe Blond on tap.
  17. recently visited the Library Ale House and was surprised at the excellent selection of beer at a reasonable price.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. It's a great place to curl up with a good pint!
  2. The library ale house is always mentioned as a great place, and honestly I'm befuddled.
  3. If you like good beer, this place is for you.
  4. Overall, it's a great place to go with friends or people visiting from out of town (my parents loved it!)
  5. Holy shizz this is the best place I've ever been
  6. My favorite restaurant in LA!
service
75.31000137329102% positive
  1. Our order ticket somehow got lost, which happens every so often, but our waiter failed to notice our table for 45 minutes.
  2. Must be plain and simple: Great food, good people and a wide selection of microbrews and ales on tap.
  3. Seems to often have a good crowd of people.
  4. I've been here several times and I've always been fairly happy, but after this experience and how rude the waiter and greeter acted to me on my way out, I have to say I will never eat here again even though I'm sure my experience is more the exception tha
  5. The Library Alehouse has a combination of a friendly, pub-esque bar indoors, and a glowing, comfortable patio area for dining in the back.
  6. The hostess let me in without hesitation, and the bartender seemed happy to sell me a beer.
  7. Leo and the staff of Library Alehouse are terrific.
  8. There is also a large beer selection, and the servers are pretty good at suggesting a beer if you tell them what you like.
  9. My boyfriend and I go every weekend and have yet to have bad service or bad food.
  10. Hate to be a flamer, but just went there for lunch today and should comment on the terrible service I received.
  11. The food is ok, but the service is always awful.
  12. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable.
  13. The staff is sweet, the cook's are obviously good at what they do, and the busboy's get things moving.
  14. The food is yummy and fresh (farmers market veggies) and everyone that work there is super friendly.
  15. The manager, however, was totally rude.
  16. Nice crowd, pretty decent service and intresting menu.
  17. close, personal, friendly.
  18. Great beer, friendly staff, awesome food
  19. We enjoy their amazing beer selection, tasty food, comfortable atmosphere and friendly service.
  20. Everyone is very friendly and the service is prompt.
  21. They have the best beer selection around and have reasonable prices, pretty faces and friendly people.
  22. The staff is probably the worst of this place.
  23. Overall, it's a great place to go with friends or people visiting from out of town (my parents loved it!)
  24. great crew to educate your pallete about which beer goes best with what -- from seared Ahi to Buffalo wings; and the only thing hotter than the wings are the babe-o-licious bartenders.
  25. have always found the staff helpful, and the service excellent.
  26. Great selection of beer on tap, good service and a pretty good happy hour.
  27. love the ambiance of the Alehouse - its appearance, its clientelle, its staff, and especially the patio.
value
100.0% positive
  1. recently visited the Library Ale House and was surprised at the excellent selection of beer at a reasonable price.
  2. Their food is great, and the portions are for the hungry.
  3. Good beer and good food for good prices
  4. good selection, reasonable prices, awesome beer list.
  5. All in all, this place has a decent atmosphere, good beer selection for SoCal, and is worth the trip.
  6. They have the best beer selection around and have reasonable prices, pretty faces and friendly people.
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. Our order ticket somehow got lost, which happens every so often, but our waiter failed to notice our table for 45 minutes.
4 Star Rating: Recommended

07/13/10

A Main Street Favorite

by parisla

Love the food at the Library Alehouse. A few of my favorites: the portobello mushroom sandwich, the salmon enchiladas & the strawberry-spinach salad.

Also great salsa and a nice selection of beer.

On the downside, the place is a little cramped, so you may be elbow to elbow with your dining neighbors or have a tough time finding a seat at the bar after work.

  • Pros: good food, nice selection of beer, nice dining patio
  • Cons: a little cramped
4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/04/10

Beer

by niecehead

I enjoy coming here bc it doesnt get to crowded unlike the other bars on main st.

  • Pros: Not too crowded; great selection of beer
  • Cons: Closes early
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/30/09

Empress Me

by CSMobileUser2

Wow! This place was ssooooo good. I took my family even grandma loved it! I had the Bison burger, omg it was the best burger I have ever had and I am a burger lover!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

10/14/09

Excellent Food

by NormalGuy

I love this place! Great beers and great food. Outdoor patio rules too.

  • Pros: awesome atmosphere
  • Cons: popular
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/13/09

my fav

by robs2323

I love this place, it's my favorite place to eat in Santa Monica, the salmon I love this place, it's my favorite place to eat in Santa Monica, the salmon enchiladas are amazing. The manger is so nice.

  • Pros: beer, good people, and great food
  • Cons: none

The Details on Library Alehouse

Place Categories:

  • great awesome food
  • love eating place
  • great good beer
  • decent service
  • worst staff
  • reasonable prices
  • comfortable unassuming atmosphere
  • fantastic intresting menu
  • healthy ahi tuna salad
  • perfect turkey burger
  • delicious meal
  • yet comfy interior
  • nice crowd
  • hail library alehouse
  • warm ambiance
  • not great library
  • rude waiter
  • great little spot
  • full blast
  • fun experiences
  • nice manger
  • loved parents
  • really enjoy coconut shrimp
  • bad service
  • good people

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